Abstract:
Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is witnessing fast urbanization characterized by rapid
urban sprawl, population growth, infrastructural construction, industrialization and motorization, which is
leading to environmental degradation, placing human health at risk. Presently, heavy metals in road dusts
are used as proxies to illustrate environmental changes of GHMC area. In this study 307 dust samples were
collected along the roads of GHMC in one season of the year 2014.Further, measurements like Magnetic
susceptibility(χ), Anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) and Isothermal Remanent Magnetization
(IRM), on these samples have revealed high concentration of magnetic minerals like magnetite and hematite
in the urban road dust. The results indicate increasing trends, though not steady, in traffic and industry
contributed pollution. Regular measurement and monitoring of these pollution markers in different seasons
and for longer periods can help understand area-wise ill-effects of the present trend of urbanization and
therefore guide the city planners and rulers.
